View source for Meiningen

{{other uses}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2018}}
{{use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox German place
|type              = Stadt
|image_photo       = File:Stadtkirche St. Marien in Meiningen, 2015.jpg
|image_caption     = ''Stadtkirche'' (town church)
|image_coa         = Wappen_Meiningen.svg
|coordinates       = {{coord|50|33|N|10|25|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan        = Meiningen in SM.png
|state             = Thuringia
|district          = Schmalkalden-Meiningen
|elevation         = 287
|area              = 123.03
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 16066042
|postal_code       = 98617
|area_code         = 03693
|licence           = SM, MGN
|website           = [https://www.meiningen.de/ www.meiningen.de]
|mayor             = Fabian Giesder<ref>[https://wahlen.thueringen.de/datenbank/wahl1/wahl.asp?wahlart=BM&wJahr=0000&zeigeErg=LAND&auswertung=2 Gewählte Bürgermeister - aktuelle Landesübersicht], Freistaat Thüringen. Retrieved 25 June 2024.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2024&ndash;30
|party             = SPD
}}

'''Meiningen''' ({{IPA|de|ˈmaɪnɪŋən|lang|De-Meiningen.ogg}}) is a town in the southern part of the state of [[Thuringia]], [[Germany]]. It is located in the region of [[Franconia]] and has a population of around 26,000 (2024).<ref name="Daten">[https://www.meiningen.de/rathaus-politik/buergerservice/rathaus-digital/buergerservice?highlight=WyJiXHUwMGZjcmdlcnNlcnZpY2UiXQ== City of Meiningen, citizen service] Jahresrückblick 2021 (year review), PDF (4,4 MB).</ref> Meiningen is the capital and the largest town of the [[Schmalkalden-Meiningen]] district. From 1680 to 1920, Meiningen was the capital of the Duchy (and briefly of the Free State) of [[Saxe-Meiningen]].

Meiningen is considered the cultural, judicial and financial centre of southern Thuringia and thus hosts the state theatre, justice center, state archives, bank buildings and many museums. It is economically reliant on mechanical engineering, [[high-tech]] industry and tourism. The dialect and language of the inhabitants is [[East Franconian German|East Franconian]].

== History ==

=== Through the Middle Ages ===
Meiningen originated during the formation of the [[Frankish Empire]] in the 6th or 7th century, which established trade routes, river crossings and boundary markers.<ref>Meiningen State Archives. Bernd W. Bahn: South Thuringia research, booklet 17, Section: Meiningen before the first mention, 1982.</ref> An intersection of two trade routes and a [[ford (crossing)|ford]] was located at the present-day southern end of the old town near the [[Werra]] river.

[[File:Meiningen-1676.jpg|thumb|left|Meiningen in 1676]]
Meiningen was first mentioned in 982<ref name="Baedeker">Travel Guide Beadeker, german, 2009.</ref>{{rp|193}} (extract certificate: "…in villis Meininga in Meiningermarca…").<ref>First mention Certification from the year 982, Meiningen Town Archives</ref> The village was first a crown land in the [[Duchy of Franconia]] and later a possession of the king. Around the year 1000, construction of the ''Stadtkirche'' (town church) began. It was several times expanded and rebuilt over the centuries. German Emperor [[Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry II]] donated Meiningen in 1008 to the Roman Catholic [[Diocese of Würzburg]], and for 534 years it remained part of Würzburg.<ref>Meininger Deed Book No. 3-5. Reg. Thur. I, No. 614, 616, 618 -. Town Archives Meiningen</ref> To protect their property, the Bishops of Würzburg built a moated castle (today ''Schloss Elisabethenburg'' palace) in the 11th century. In 1153, the [[Plague (disease)|plague]] raged in Meiningen, which was also granted judicial rights (the first town-charter type of rights) that year by the rulers. In 1222, Würzburg and the [[House of Henneberg]] fought for possession of Meiningen, while the town suffered extensive damage. Meiningen was first mentioned in 1230 as a ''Stadt'' (town) and was granted wide-ranging autonomy in 1344.<ref>Mon. Boica XXXVII Nr. 205; Reg. Thur. II Nr. 2194 – Town Archives Meiningen.</ref><ref>Mon. Boica XLI Nr. 32 – Town Archives Meiningen.</ref> During this time the citizens built a powerful fortification with a double wall and three [[moat]]s. From 1239 to 1242 the [[Friars Minor]] of the [[Franciscan Order]] built a monastery between the castle and the Lower Gate. In 1380, a fire destroyed around a quarter of the town, including the archives of the town council. The town joined together with ten other towns of the Bishopric of Würzburg and participated in 1396-1399 in the "Franconian town war" against the diocese. Würzburg troops besieged Meiningen, until it capitulated in 1399. In an uprising on 10 August 1432, the citizens destroyed the castle (''Würzburger Burg'' or ''Burg Meiningen''). In the years 1443-1455, the town church was enlarged in the [[Gothic style]].

=== Early modern period ===
Meiningen had about 2,000 inhabitants in 1450. At the end of the 15th century two devastating fires destroyed almost the whole town. 26 people were killed. The town church was spared from the fire. Bishop [[Lorenz von Bibra]] built a new castle from 1509 to 1511. In the town textiles, metal working and trade became more important. In 1542, Meiningen came to the Henneberg family in exchange for the administrative district (''[[Amt (country subdivision)|Amt]]'') of [[Schonungen|Mainberg]] from the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, [[Conrad von Bibra]]. In 1583, with the extinction of the Henneberg family, the town went to the [[Wettin dynasty|Wettin family]]. The Wettin family established its seat of transitional government for the County of Henneberg in Meiningen until 1660. The town experienced a great economic boom driven by the [[fustian]]- and [[linen]] weaving, dyeing and fabric trades, which lasted until the beginning of the 17th century, resulting in faster population increase to about 5,000. For example, in 1614 234 master craftsmen produced 37,312 pieces of cloth that were traded throughout Europe. This period was ended abruptly by the [[Thirty Years' War]] in 1634, when [[Croatia]]n troops plundered the town. In 1641, [[Kingdom of Sweden|Swedish]] troops besieged the town. Meiningen lost thousands of inhabitants to death or expulsion.

=== Residence of the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen ===
[[File:Bernhardstr.1835.jpg|thumb|left|Meiningen Bernhardstreet in 1835]]
Between 1680 and 1918, Meiningen was the capital of the Duchy of [[Saxe-Meiningen]].<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|193}} In 1682-92, the ducal palace ''Schloss Elisabethenburg'' was built and by 1690 the [[Meiningen Court Orchestra|Court Orchestra]] had been created. From 1782, the ''Englischer Garten'', an [[English landscape garden]] was created in the town center.

In 1813, a Russian army of 70,000 soldiers and 2,300 officers under [[Alexander I of Russia|Grand Duke Alexander]] in his campaign against [[Napoleon]] camped in and around Meiningen. The Tsar had his quarters in the inn ''Zum Braune Hirsch'', which also served for the entrained [[Prussian Army]] as headquarters. In 1782, [[Friedrich Schiller]] had been a guest at the inn.

[[File:Markt2011a.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Market square]]
One of the princesses of Saxe-Meiningen, [[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen|Adelheid Louise Theresa Caroline Amelia von Sachsen-Meiningen]], became the wife of the future [[William IV of the United Kingdom|King William IV]] of [[Great Britain]] in 1818. The Australian city of [[Adelaide]] is named for her.

[[Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen]], who became a great patron of the theatrical art, was born in 1826. The first [[Meiningen Court Theatre]] opened in 1831. The fairy tale collector and writer [[Ludwig Bechstein]] was an archivist in Meiningen. In 1858, the town was connected by the [[Eisenach–Lichtenfels railway|Werra Railway]] to the German railway network. In September 1874, a major fire destroyed a third of the town.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}} The reconstruction took place in [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical style]] with the financial help of many German and Austrian cities. In the same year, the [[Schweinfurt–Meiningen railway]] opened. A new town hall was built in 1878.

By end of the 19th century and by the beginning of the 20th century, the existence of several large banks made Meiningen an important financial centre in Germany. During these decades, the town stretched out far beyond its ancient limits. New residential areas were built, and the population grew rapidly. Many lavish buildings were built at that time. 1889, the town church was enlarged in the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] style. A large fire destroyed the ''Hoftheater'' (court theatre) in 1908, it was rebuilt in Neoclassical style and reopened in December 1909. In 1914, the [[Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works]] was built.

===After 1918===
The Duchy was abolished at the end of [[World War I]] in 1918. Meiningen then became the capital of the successor state ''Freistaat Saxony-Meiningen''. From 1920, it was a district town in the newly created state of [[Thuringia]]. {{Interlanguage link|Thüringisches Staatsarchiv Meiningen|de}} was founded in 1923. In 1927, ''{{Interlanguage link|Flugplatz Meiningen|de}}'', an airfield, was opened. In October 1931, airship [[LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin]] landed there before 100,000 spectators, followed by the airship [[LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II]] on 9 July 1939. During [[World War II]], Meiningen was the location of a [[prisoner of war]] hospital, and several German military hospitals. The [[Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)|Deutsche Dienststelle]] was based in the ''Drachenbergkaserne'' barracks from 1943 to 1945. A heavy air raid on Meiningen on 23 February 1945, by the [[USAAF]] caused 208 deaths, destroyed 251 houses and two bridges in total, and damaged 440 buildings. Meiningen was occupied by American armed forces on 5 April 1945.<ref>Thuringia under American Occupation (April until July 1945), http://www.lzt-thueringen.de/files/huringia_under_american_occupation.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901115319/http://www.lzt-thueringen.de/files/huringia_under_american_occupation.pdf |date=1 September 2017 }}</ref>
 
[[File:Justizzentrum-Meiningen5.jpg|thumb|A part of the ''Justizzentrum'' (court house)]]
In July 1945, the town was included in the Soviet occupation zone along with the rest of Thuringia, and thus later became part of the [[German Democratic Republic]] (DDR). To accommodate workers for a [[microelectronic]]s plant, the ''Robotron Meiningen'', the new district of Jerusalem (Meiningen) was created from 1967 to 1983 in the north between Helba and Welkershausen, eventually housing around 6,000 inhabitants. Meiningen was an important center of ''[[Die Wende]]'' in southern Thuringia in 1989. Among the many events were a total of 25 demonstrations with 1,000-25,000 participants.

After German reunification in 1990, Meiningen became the district town of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. In the ''Dreißigacker'' district, new businesses and the new Meiningen Hospital were constructed. In the 1990s, there was a new construction boom in the town, with many houses being renovated and embellished. In July 1994, Chancellor of Germany [[Helmut Kohl]] visited the town, [[Angela Merkel]] did so in April 2012. The new ''Justizzentrum'' (court house) was built in 2000. In 2003, the town was connected to the ''[[Bundesautobahn 71]]''. With the opening of the new ''Kammerspiele'' in June 2008, the town created another theater venue, underlining its national significance as a cultural town. In 2013, the new industrial area ''Rohrer Berg'' near the motorway junction Meiningen-North was created.

== Geography and climate ==
The town is situated in the valley of the [[Werra]] river between the [[Thuringian Forest]] and the [[Rhön Mountains]]. Meiningen lies {{convert|60|km|0|abbr=off}} east of [[Fulda]], {{Convert|80|km|abbr=on}} south of [[Erfurt]] and {{Convert|104|km|abbr=on}} north of [[Würzburg]], across the [[Inner German border|former frontier]] between West and [[East Germany]].

===Subdivisions===
Meiningen has several subdivisions. The urban districts are town center, North, East, South, Jerusalem (Meiningen), the rural communities are Helba (amalgamated in 1923) and Welkershausen (1936), as [[Dreißigacker]] (1990) and [[Herpf]] (2010). The former municipalities [[Henneberg, Thuringia|Henneberg]], [[Wallbach, Thuringia|Wallbach]] and [[Walldorf, Thuringia|Walldorf]] were merged into Meiningen in January 2019, [[Stepfershausen]] in December 2019, and [[Sülzfeld]] in January 2024.<ref>[https://parldok.thueringer-landtag.de/ParlDok/dokument/95417/gesetz_und_verordnungsblatt_nr_15_2023.pdf Thüringer Gesetz zur freiwilligen Neugliederung kreisangehöriger Gemeinden im Jahr 2024], Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt für den Freistaat Thüringen, 2023 Nr. 15, p. 349</ref>

Meiningen abuts the following municipalities: [[Wasungen]], [[Utendorf]], [[Kühndorf]], [[Rohr, Thuringia]], [[Ellingshausen]], [[Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal]], [[Untermaßfeld]], [[Grabfeld, Thuringia|Grabfeld]], [[Mellrichstadt]] (Bavaria), [[Rhönblick]], [[Rippershausen]] and [[Mehmels]].

=== Climate ===
The relation to the surrounding mountain ranges of the Rhön mountains and the Thuringian Highland deep and sheltered Werra valley and the dense town buildings provide a regional level, for a mild climate in Meiningen. The following values are averages from 1990 until 2012.<ref>Weather station Meiningen the [[German Weather Service]]</ref> The average annual temperature is {{convert|9.1|C|F}}. Temperature extremes since 1960 at Meiningen have ranged from {{convert|36.1|C|F}} on August 7, 2015, down to {{convert|-18.5|C|F}} on February 12, 2012. The rainfall is 656 millimeters and the sun shines 1,559 hours per year.

{{Weather box	
| location = Meiningen (1991–2020 normals)	
| metric first = Y	
| single line = Y	
|Jan record high C = 13.7
|Feb record high C = 14.6
|Mar record high C = 21.1
|Apr record high C = 28.7
|May record high C = 30.4
|Jun record high C = 33.1
|Jul record high C = 35.7
|Aug record high C = 36.1
|Sep record high C = 30.4
|Oct record high C = 25.0
|Nov record high C = 16.5
|Dec record high C = 13.9
|year record high C =36.1
|Jan record low C = -20.4
|Feb record low C = -19.2
|Mar record low C = -19.1
|Apr record low C = -10.7
|May record low C = -3.0
|Jun record low C = 1.1
|Jul record low C = 4.2
|Aug record low C = 2.4
|Sep record low C = -1.2
|Oct record low C = -6.8
|Nov record low C = -13.3
|Dec record low C = -18.9
|year record low C =-20.4
|Jan high C = 	1.8
|Feb high C = 	3.2
|Mar high C = 	7.8
|Apr high C = 	13.2
|May high C = 	17.3
|Jun high C = 	20.5
|Jul high C = 	22.7
|Aug high C = 	22.5
|Sep high C = 	17.7
|Oct high C = 	11.9
|Nov high C = 	5.9
|Dec high C = 	2.4
| year high C =	12.2
|Jan mean C = 	-0.5
|Feb mean C = 	0.2
|Mar mean C = 	3.8
|Apr mean C = 	8.4
|May mean C = 	12.5
|Jun mean C = 	15.7
|Jul mean C = 	17.7
|Aug mean C = 	17.3
|Sep mean C = 	13.0
|Oct mean C = 	8.2
|Nov mean C = 	3.5
|Dec mean C = 	0.3
|year mean C = 	8.3
|Jan low C = 	-2.9
|Feb low C = 	-2.8
|Mar low C = 	0.0
|Apr low C = 	3.5
|May low C = 	7.4
|Jun low C = 	10.6
|Jul low C = 	12.6
|Aug low C = 	12.3
|Sep low C = 	8.6
|Oct low C = 	4.9
|Nov low C = 	1.2
|Dec low C = 	-1.8
| year low C =	4.5
| precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 	53.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 	39.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 	44.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 	36.8
|May precipitation mm = 	59.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 	62.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 	73.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 	62.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 	52.8
|Oct precipitation mm = 	51.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 	52.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 	60.6
| year precipitation mm =	648.3
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm	
|Jan precipitation days = 	17.2
|Feb precipitation days = 	15.1
|Mar precipitation days = 	15.1
|Apr precipitation days = 	12.3
|May precipitation days = 	13.8
|Jun precipitation days = 	13.3
|Jul precipitation days = 	15.3
|Aug precipitation days = 	13.5
|Sep precipitation days = 	12.5
|Oct precipitation days = 	15.5
|Nov precipitation days = 	17.0
|Dec precipitation days = 	18.6
|year precipitation days = 	179.2
|Jan sun = 	44.8
|Feb sun = 	73.8
|Mar sun = 	122.5
|Apr sun = 	173.8
|May sun = 	200.9
|Jun sun = 	206.5
|Jul sun = 	216.7
|Aug sun = 	202.9
|Sep sun = 	151.9
|Oct sun = 	99.0
|Nov sun = 	40.8
|Dec sun = 	33.0
|year sun = 	1571.0
|Jan humidity = 	87.8
|Feb humidity = 	83.5
|Mar humidity = 	77.1
|Apr humidity = 	69.2
|May humidity = 	70.7
|Jun humidity = 	71.0
|Jul humidity = 	70.6
|Aug humidity = 	71.4
|Sep humidity = 	78.5
|Oct humidity = 	86.0
|Nov humidity = 	90.4
|Dec humidity = 	90.5
|unit snow days = 1.0 cm
|Jan snow days = 	15.5
|Feb snow days = 	14.9
|Mar snow days = 	7.2
|Apr snow days = 	0.4
|May snow days = 	0
|Jun snow days = 	0
|Jul snow days = 	0
|Aug snow days = 	0
|Sep snow days = 	0
|Oct snow days = 	0.2
|Nov snow days = 	3.7
|Dec snow days = 	10.8
|year snow days = 	
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMO>{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231012163151/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Meiningen_10548.csv
| archive-date = 12 October 2023
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Germany/CSV/Meiningen_10548.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = [https://wetterlabs.de/en/climate/meiningen/ Weather and climate in Meiningen]
|}}

==Demographics==
The town has about 25,000 (2021) inhabitants. Together with neighbouring [[Untermaßfeld]], [[Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal]], [[Einhausen, Thuringia|Einhausen]], [[Sülzfeld]], [[Rippershausen]], [[Ritschenhausen]], Mellrichstadt, Wasungen and [[Utendorf]], Meiningen forms a small conurbation with a population of about 70,000.

==Economy==

=== Agriculture, industry and services ===
Meiningen offers over 14,500 jobs in around 3,200 small and medium-sized companies, medical facilities, cultural institutions and administrations. The largest employer is the hospital ''Klinikum Meiningen'' with nearly 1,000 employees.<ref>Federal agency for work (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), Local labor market - municipal associations and municipalities (annual figures), 30 June 2020.</ref>

Meiningen is a center of electrical engineering and high-tech manufacturing. Numerous companies in that industry (founded here or that have settled here) form a [[business cluster]]. This includes the global high-tech enterprise [[ADVA Optical Networking]] (ADVA AG).

[[Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works]] is the only plant in Western and Central Europe where steam locomotives can be completely repaired and maintained. it also builds new locomotives and repairs historic passenger coaches, diesel locomotives and other railway vehicles. Other companies provide hardware for doors and windows, tools, ovens, electric goods and radiators. In the food industry, there are a wholesale bakery and a meat plant.

Outside of manufacturing, the local savings bank (''Sparkasse''), municipal services, the theater and museums, the railway company ''Südthüringenbahn'' and health facilities are important in the local economy.

Agriculture plays a minor role in Meiningen as the soil is not very fertile. However, the rural districts Herpf and Dreißigacker account for most of the agricultural area (17.6% of the total municipal territory).

==Arts and culture==

=== Theatre ===
[[File:Staatstheater Meiningen.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|State Theatre Meiningen]]
The ''Staatstheater Meiningen'' offers musical theatre (opera, operetta, musicals), plays, symphony concerts, puppet shows, ballet and youth theatre. The ''[[Meiningen Court Theatre|Meiningen Hoftheater]]'' opened on 17 December 1831. It was destroyed in a fire in 1908 and was replaced in 1909 by the current building.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|195}} The company was called the ''[[Meiningen Ensemble|Meininger]]''. It featured plays and gave concerts, and travelled throughout Germany and [[Europe]]. Active support by the ''Theaterherzog'' [[Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen]] (1866–1914) helped it to attain international celebrity. Today the theatre is known as "Staatstheater Meiningen" (State Theatre Meiningen). It employs more than 320 people. The Director is Jens Neundorff von Enzberg.

=== ''Meininger Hofkapelle'' ===
The [[Meiningen Court Orchestra]] is one of the oldest orchestras in Europe. The now 68-member orchestra is part of the Meininger Theatre and performs, in addition to opera accompaniment, regular symphony concerts and youth concerts. [[Philippe Bach]] was the music director from 2010 to 2022. His successor will be Killian Farrell (Ireland) from 2023.

The court orchestra was founded in 1690 by [[Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen|Duke Bernhard I.]] In October 1880 the most successful period of the orchestra began and it developed into an elite European orchestra under the direction of [[Hans von Bülow]]. During the von Bülow period, [[Johannes Brahms]] came to Meiningen to collaborate with the court orchestra and to conduct occasionally. Other notable conductors included [[Richard Strauss]] from 1885 to 1886, [[Max Reger]] from 1911 to 1914, and [[Kirill Petrenko]] from 1999 to 2002.

=== ''Kunsthaus''===
[[File:Posthalterei.jpg|thumbnail|upright=0.65|Art house ''Kunsthaus'']]
The ''Kunsthaus Meiningen'' (art house) is a cultural institution in the historic half-timbered house ''Alte Posthalterei'' ("Old Post Office"). It presents exhibitions of contemporary art and offers workshops and job opportunities for local and foreign artists.

=== Museums ===
* ''Meininger Museen'' ("Meiningen Museums") comprise six cultural and historical museums which house the largest art collection in Thuringia. The main museum is in ''[[Schloss Elisabethenburg]]'' (Elisabethenburg Palace), the former residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen.
* ''Museum of Literature'' "Baumbachhaus" is mainly an exhibition on the life and work of local poet [[Rudolf Baumbach]]. Furthermore, there are exhibits on the interaction of [[Friedrich Schiller]], [[Jean Paul]] and [[Ludwig Bechstein]] during their time in Meiningen. There is also a department of urban and local history.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|197}}
* The newest art museum, opened in 1999, is the ''Theater Museum'' "Magic World of Scenery" in the former riding school near the palace. It offers an annually changing exhibit of historically important theatre stage backdrops and historical information on the European tours of the Meiningen Court Theatre.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|197}}
* The ''Meininger Zweiradmuseum'' (MZM) shows all types of two-wheel vehicles produced in the GDR and a variety of police vehicles. This is run by a private club whose members acquire the models and restore them to their original condition.
* [[Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works]] from 2023 hosts an interactive museum. Here, visitors can learn all about [[steam locomotive]]s. The focus of the exhibit is a locomotive that can be accessed on multiple levels.

<gallery>
File:Schloss26.jpg|Meiningen Museums, main museum
File:Grüne Bibliothek Schloss Elisabethenburg Green library Meiningen.jpg|Meiningen Museums, Green library
File:Meiningen-Theatermuseum1.jpg|Theatre Museum
File:Meiningen Theatermuseum Wintermärchen 01.jpg|Exposition ''A Winter's Tale'' by William Shakespeare
File:Baumbachhaus.jpg|Literary museum ''Baumbachhaus''
File:DampflokwerkMgn.jpg|Steam Locomotive Works, museum in the green house
</gallery>

== Landmarks ==

===Townscape===
[[File:MGNW2.JPG|thumb|Georgstreet]]
Meiningen has an urban townscape typical of a residence town. The town has a historic downtown, neoclassicist streets and extensive parks in the town center. Around the center there are residential areas.

The historic old town is still surrounded by parts of the [[town wall]] with [[moats]]. It originated mainly in the 12th and 13th centuries. Several times in the town's past, large-scale fires or wars destroyed many buildings. A great fire destroyed nearly half the town's old quarter in September 1874. This part was rebuilt in the Neoclassical style with ornate buildings and straight streets. This style also characterizes the main shopping street, Georgstraße. In other parts of the old town half-timbered houses from the 16th to 17th century and large mansions from the 18th to the 19th century still predominate. Since 1990, some modern new buildings were added. The center is dominated by the ''Stadtkirche'' (town church). In the western part, the townscape has formed around ''Schloss Elisabethenburg''.

The old town is surrounded by residential and business districts with neoclassical villas and palaces that were built in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the theater and several large bank buildings. North of the old town is the English Garden. In the north and south of the town are the industrial areas and shopping centers. While the town center and densely built-up residential areas are in the valley, many residential areas are situated on the hill slopes.

<gallery>
File:Georgstr.02W.jpg|Shopping street Georgstraße
File:Meiningen-Banken03.jpg|Bank buildings
File:Englischer-Garten Meiningen.JPG|The English Garden in the town center
File:Meiningen Stadtkirche 2012a.jpg|''Stadtkirche'' with half-timbered house
File:Meiningen-Zentrum01.jpg|View of the town
File:Meiningen-Jerusalem.jpg|Meiningen-Jerusalem
</gallery>

=== Castles and palaces ===
* ''[[Schloss Elisabethenburg]]'' palace, built 1682-1692, a [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] castle with three wings and ''Hofkapelle''(castle chapel) and a rotunda. This is the former seat of the Dukes of [[Saxe-Meiningen]]. Today the palace houses museums, the town hall, the concert hall ''Johannes Brahms'', wedding room, the restaurant ''Schloßstuben'', a tower cafe, the town archives and the state archives.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|198}}It is now a museum of German History.
* ''{{Interlanguage link|Schloss Landsberg (Meiningen)|de|lt=Schloss Landsberg}}'', built 1840 for Duke [[Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen|Bernhard II]], inspired by visits to his sister [[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen|Adelheid]], queen consort of the United Kingdom. Built under the direction of architect August Wilhelm Döbner in [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic revival style]].
* ''Kleines Palais'' (Little Palace), built in 1821.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}} The Little Palace (also known as Princess Palace) is a Neoclassical palace of the Dukes of Saxe-Meiningen. Duke Bernhard II had it built by the architect Johann Andreas Schaubach as his summer palace.
* ''Großes Palais'' (Great Palace), built 1823. The palace was built in Neoclassical style by architect Johann Andreas Schaubach as widow seat for the Duchess [[Princess Louise Eleonore of Hohenlohe-Langenburg|Luise Eleonore]]. In 1863, it was renovated and expanded in the [[Neo-Renaissance]] style under the direction of architect Otto Hoppe.
* Strupp Villa, mansion in the Neoclassical style, built for the banker Gustav Strupp in 1909 to a design by architect Karl Behlert.

<gallery>
File:Meiningen Elisabethenburg 2012 1.jpg|''Schloss Elisabethenburg'' (castle)
File:SchlossElisabethenburg-Brunnen.jpg| ''Schloss Elisabethenburg'', courtyard with fountain
File:Meiningen Hessensaal 01.jpg|''Schloss Elisabethenburg'', baroque [[Hesse]] hall
File:Meiningen, Schloss Landsberg.JPG|''Schloss Landsberg''
File:Meiningen Großes Palais 2012.jpg|''Großes Palais''
File:KleinesPalais2.jpg|''Kleines Palais''
</gallery>

=== Churches ===
* Protestant parish church of Our Lady (''Stadtkirche'', town church), with foundations from the year 1000. The church received its present (Gothic revival) form after conversion in between 1884 and 1889.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}}
* Catholic Church Our Lady, built in 1972.
* Castle Church, baroque style, located in the south wing of ''Schloss Elisabethenburg'', today a concert hall.
* Crypt Chapel in Gothic revival style in the English Garden, built in 1839-41 as a burial place for the ducal family.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}}

=== Fountains and monuments ===
* [[Ludwig Bechstein|Bechstein]] Fountain, also called ''Märchenbrunnen'' (fairy tale fountain). The poet and collector of fairy tales lived in Meiningen. In his honour, the fountain by [[Robert Diez]] was erected in the English Garden in 1909.
* ''Heinrichsbrunnen'' ([[Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Henry II]] Fountain), considered to be the founder of the local church. Built in 1872, the fountain is located in the marketplace.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}}
* Fountain Chapel, very old fountain in the small square At The Chapel.
* Monument to [[Johannes Brahms]]. The monument from 1898/99 is the work of sculptor [[Adolf von Hildebrand]] (1847-1921) from Munich. It was the first monument honouring Brahms in Germany.
* Monument to [[Jean Paul]], located in English Garden, built in 1858.
* Monument to [[Max Reger]], it has been standing in the English Garden since 1935.

<gallery>
File:Heinrichsbrunnen1.jpg|Emperor Henry II fountain
File:Bechsteinbrunnen2W.jpg|Bechstein fountain
File:Brahms5.JPG|Monument to Johannes Brahms
File:Engl.Garten-Meiningen4.jpg|Monument to Jean Paul
File:Wende-Stele1.jpg|[[Die Wende]] 1989 in Meiningen
</gallery>

=== Other landmarks===
* ''Goetz-Höhle'', guided cave tours. Largest accessible gap cave in Europe with 50-metre high clefts. The cave was discovered in 1915 by Reinhold Goetz in his mountain garden and has been open to the public since 1934. 
* The English Garden is located in the town center and was created in 1782.<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|195}} The park was several times altered and enlarged in the 19th century.
* Districts in the Neoclassical style. A large part of the old town was rebuilt after a fire with stately buildings in the style of the period (''[[Gründerzeit]]'').
* Some half-timbered houses (examples: Büchnersches Hinterhaus, Henneberg Haus, Hartung Haus, Rassmann Haus)<ref name="Baedeker"/>{{rp|196}}

<gallery>
File:Fachwerkhaus-meiningen002b.jpg|''Büchnersches Hinterhaus''
File:Henneberger-2011W.jpg|''Henneberger Haus''
File:Engl.GartenMeiningen.JPG|Artificial ruins at the English Garden (from 1793/94)
File:Post 06W.jpg|post office
File:Klinikum30a.jpg|hospital
</gallery>

==Government==
[[File:Schloss14.jpg|thumb|Town hall in ''Schloss Elisabethenburg'']]
[[File:RobotronMeiningen2.jpg|thumb|District office]]
[[File:Wahl2012-Mgn.jpg|thumb|German chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] in Meiningen, 2012]]

Meiningen is the [[district town]] of the ''Kreis [[Schmalkalden-Meiningen]]''. The town functions as a major center of southern Thuringia in a number of ways (justice ([[Landgericht (Germany)|Landgericht Meiningen]], [[Amtsgericht Meiningen]]), state theater, state archives, hospitals).

=== Mayor and town council ===
The current mayor Fabian Giesder, [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] has been in office since 2012. His predecessor was Reinhard Kupitz, [[Free Voters|Freie Wähler]] (in office 1992–2012).

=== Election results ===
The last municipal election was held in 2014 with the result: 
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|- style="background-color: #FEDBCA"
!Party 
!Percentage
!Seats
!Seats in council
|-
|[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]] 
|align=right|26.5
|align=center|8
|align=center|10*
|-
|[[Christian Democratic Union (Germany)|CDU]]
|align=right|23.7
|align=center|7
|align=center|7
|-
|[[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
|align=right|16.8
|align=center|5
|align=center|5
|-
|[[Free Voters|Pro Meiningen]]
|align=right|15.7
|align=center|5
|align=center|4*
|-
|[[Alliance '90/The Greens|Greens]]
|align=right|7.9
|align=center|2
|align=center|2
|-
|[[National Democratic Party of Germany|NPD]]
|align=right|3.2
|align=center|1
|align=center|–**
|-
|[[Free Voters|Herpf]]
|align=right|2.8
|align=center|1
|align=center|1
|-
|[[Free Voters|Dreißigacker]]
|align=right|2.2
|align=center|1
|align=center|–*
|-
|}
<small>* The holders of one seat from Pro Meiningen and the one from Dreißigacker switched in June 2014 to SPD. / ** until 15 February 2015 (resigned).</small>

===Town twinning===
Meiningen is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Neu-Ulm]] [[File:DEU Neu-Ulm COA.svg|15px]], Germany, since 1988
* {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Bussy-Saint-Georges]], [[France]], since 2006
* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Obertshausen]] [[File:Wappen Obertshausen.png|15px]], Germany, since 2007
* {{flagicon|AUT}} [[Meiningen, Austria|Meiningen (Vorarlberg)]] [[File:Wappen at meiningen.png|12px]], Austria, since 2012

Friendly relations also exist with the city of [[Adelaide]] in [[Australia]] because it was named for Queen Adelaide (Queen of the United Kingdom), born and raised in Meiningen as Princess [[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen]].

==Infrastructure==

=== Transport ===
;Road
Meiningen is located at the [[Bundesautobahn 71]] ([[Sangerhausen]]–[[Erfurt]]–[[Schweinfurt]]) with two motorway junction. Furthermore, there are two ''Bundesstrassen'' (federal roads): to [[Eisenach]] and [[Würzburg]] ([[Bundesstraße 19|B 19]]) and to [[Sonneberg]] and [[Kronach]] ([[Bundesstraße 89|B 89]]) as well as some regional roads to [[Fulda]] in [[Hesse]], [[Suhl]] in Thuringia and [[Mellrichstadt]] in [[Bavaria]]. A bypass road around Meiningen was built in the 2000s in the east; its northeastern extension is in planning.

;Railway
Meiningen has been a railway node since the late 19th century. The [[Eisenach–Lichtenfels railway|Werra Railway]] was opened in 1858, the [[Schweinfurt–Meiningen railway]] in 1874 and the [[Neudietendorf–Ritschenhausen railway]] from Erfurt in 1884. [[Meiningen station]] was built in 1858. The Bavarian station was added as the second train station in 1874. There are direct train services to Erfurt, Eisenach, Sonneberg and Schweinfurt.

;Bus
Urban transport is operated by bus routes. There are 13 lines with about 100 stops, serving all parts of the town.

;Bike
There are several long-distance cycling trails, the first ''Werratal-Radweg'' along the [[Werra]] valley from the [[Thuringian Forest]] to the river [[Weser]], the second ''Main-Werra-Radweg'' from Meiningen to Würzburg on the [[Main (river)|Main]] river. A third trail goes from Meiningen to [[Haßfurt]] in Bavaria.

==Education==
After reunification, the educational system was reformed. In 1994, the Thuringian [[Police academy]] Meiningen was established and in 1998 a Police [[Hochschule]] ([[tertiary education]] / German name: Fachhochschule Polizei) was added. The campus accommodates about 500 police officers in training. In addition, there are two [[medical school]]s and a technical school for [[Emergency medical technician]]s. Furthermore, there is one public and one Protestant ''[[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasium]]'' in Meiningen.

==Notable people==

=== People born in Meiningen ===
[[File:Adelaidemgnuk.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Adelheid von Sachsen-Meiningen ([[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen|Queen&nbsp;Adelaide]])]]
[[File:GeorgIISaxe.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Duke Georg II]]
* [[Peretz Bernstein]] (1890–1971), Israeli politician
* [[Matthias Brenner]] (born 1957), actor, director and writer
* [[Fritz Diez]] (1901–1979), actor and producer
* [[Kurt May]] (1896–1992), Lawyer and campaigner against the Nazis
* [[Bernd Meinunger]] (born 1944), lyricist and record producer
* [[Theodor Oberländer]] (1905–1998), German politician
* [[Paul Oestreicher]] (born 1931), Anglican priest and canon emeritus in [[Coventry]]
* Princess [[Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen]] (1792–1849), queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of [[William IV of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen]] (1826–1914), "Theatre Duke"
* [[Fritz Schulz-Reichel]] (1912–1990), German jazz and pop pianist
* [[Gunter Sieberth]] (born 1965), oboist
* [[Gustav von Vaerst]] (1894-1975), general
* [[Johann Georg Walch]] (1693–1775), Lutheran theologian and philosopher
* [[Ludwig von Wolzogen]] (1773–1845), military officer

=== Notable residents ===
[[File:Hans von buelow.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Hans von Bülow]]
*[[Albert Bassermann]] (1867–1952), actor
*[[Rudolf Baumbach]] (1840–1905), poet
*[[Ludwig Bechstein]] (1801–1860), poet
*[[Bjørn Bjørnson]] (1859–1942), actor and director
*[[Peter Borgelt]] (1927–1994), actor
*[[Johannes Brahms]] (1833–1897), composer, pianist and conductor
*[[Hans von Bülow]] (1830–1894), conductor
*[[Eberhard Esche]] (1933–2006), actor
*[[Ellen Franz]] (1839–1923), (as wife of the Duke: Helene Freifrau von Heldburg), pianist and actress
*[[Elīna Garanča]] (born 1976), operatic mezzo-soprano
*[[Elisabeth Grümmer]] (1911–1986), operatic lyric soprano
*[[Josef Kainz]] (1858–1910), actor
*{{Interlanguage link|Carl Kiesewetter|de}} (1854–1895), historian, occultist and theosophist
*[[Karl Korsch]] (1886–1961), Marxist
*{{Interlanguage link|Friedrich Mosengeil|de}} (1773–1839), stenographer
*[[Jean Paul]] (1763–1825), poet
*[[Kirill Petrenko]] (born 1972), conductor
*[[Max Reger]] (1873–1916), composer, pianist and conductor
*[[Friedrich Schiller]] (1759–1805), poet
*[[Adele Sandrock]] (1863–1937), actress
*[[Richard Strauss]] (1864–1949), composer and conductor
*[[Ingrid van Bergen]] (born 1931), actress
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] (1749–1832), poet, dramatist, diplomat and philosopher

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons|Meiningen}}
{{Americana Poster|year=1920}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Meiningen
|North     = [[Eisenach]]
|Northeast = [[Erfurt]] — [[Sangerhausen]]
|East      = [[Suhl]] <br /> [[Ilmenau]]
|Southeast = [[Coburg]] — [[Bamberg]]
|South     = [[Schweinfurt]] — [[Würzburg]]
|Southwest = [[Bad Kissingen]] <br /> [[Frankfurt]]
|West      = [[Fulda]]
|Northwest = [[Bad Salzungen]] <br /> [[Bad Hersfeld]]
}}

{{Cities and towns in Schmalkalden-Meiningen (district)}}
{{Cities in Thuringia}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Meiningen| ]]
[[Category:Schmalkalden-Meiningen]]